


Home For Lunch

by Evelyn6



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cravings, F/M, Fluff, More Fluff, Pregnancy, Rumbelle - Freeform, season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 04:55:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8519275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evelyn6/pseuds/Evelyn6
Summary: Perhaps their son had taken after his father after all.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm terrible at titles, I admit. But I thought we could all use a little Rumbelle fluff right now.

Rumplestiltskin frowned as he peered into the refrigerator, his eyes scanning the shelf along the door slowly and, for the third time, not finding the jar he was looking for. Puzzled, he crouched down and opted for a more hands-on approach, rifling through the various containers of ketchup and preserves as he searched for the jar he was sure had been sitting there just yesterday - and still, he came up empty handed. 

He closed the door with a small huff and turned around to survey the kitchen, trying to think of another snack that could replace the pickle he'd wanted. He scrunched his nose at the banana lying in the fruit basket on the counter, his stomach turning at the mere idea of reducing himself to one of _those,_ and decided that perhaps he would see if Belle was hungry enough to go to Granny's. They had plenty of pickles. 

Decided, he trudged up the stairs in search of his wife. He was home earlier than usual, having closed up the shop in favor of spending the rest of the afternoon with Belle. He was glad he had when her cheerful voice drifted down the stairs to welcome him as he stepped inside. He still couldn't quite believe the happiness that spread over her face and overflowed into her lilting accent every time he came home, the breathless little way she said his name. A grin had spread over his face at once. Yes, being home with her was much better than standing around in that stuffy shop. 

He'd made a detour to the kitchen to grab a snack before he went up to see what she had gotten herself into today, but obviously that hadn't gone as he'd planned. Lunch with Belle sounded better anyway, he thought with a smile.

He knew where he would likely find her, but the sight that greeted him as he stepped into the library stopped him in his tracks, a fuzzy mixture of amusement and joy building in his chest. Belle was lounging on the chaise near the window, a book propped against her knees as the sun filtered in to play with her hair. It was as familiar a sight as any in the Stiltskin home, though the roundness of her growing belly was a bit new. What was unusual, and definitely not familiar, was the jar she had nestled in the crook of her arm.

He cleared his throat softly to let her know he was there. His little novelist had a tendency to lose herself so entirely in a book that if he didn't announce himself she'd get so surprised when he finally approached her that she'd let out a little yelp of shock. With her being pregnant, he figured that wasn't the best thing to encourage. 

It took her a few more throat clearings and a call of her name for her to finally look up, her dazed expression morphing into one of recognition when she saw him leaning in the doorway. 

"Rumple! I'm glad you're home," she said happily, setting her book aside and looking down at the empty pickle jar as if she couldn't recall how it got there before she set it aside too and got to her feet. She wasn't so big, yet, that it was too clumsy an endeavor, but she was just big enough that she waddled a bit as she stood. It was one of the most adorable things he'd ever seen. 

"I missed you," he said with a smile as she crossed the room and stepped straight into his arms. They had already been open for her, and he wrapped them around her as she tucked herself against his chest, feeling as if she was made to be there - even with her growing belly. 

"I missed you, too," she mumbled into his coat before she leaned back to kiss him. 

He indulged himself for a moment with her mouth before he pulled back to ask, "How's the wee one? Not giving you too much trouble, I hope."

Belle snorted. "He's your son. Of course he's causing trouble." She said it so fondly that he couldn't help but grin with pride. 

"I take it he was hungry?" he asked, gesturing with his head in the direction of the pickle jar. 

Belle wasn't fond of pickles, he knew. It was why he'd been certain he would find them precisely where he'd left them in the refrigerator. It seemed their son had taken after his father. 

She followed his line of sight over her shoulder. "I meant to grab the whipped cream," she grumbled. 

Ah yes, this week her pregnancy craving had been whipped cream. She didn't like the tubbed stuff, and though he'd made some from scratch, he'd bought a few canisters to stock the refrigerator just in case. It looked like her craving had moved elsewhere, however, and he couldn't stop the little cringe that sent a shiver down his arms at the idea of whipped cream and pickles. 

"Well I can see how you might have gotten confused," he teased, pursing his lips but not quite hiding the way his cheeks twitched. 

Belle swatted his arm playfully. "Don't tease. It's not my fault. I saw the jar and suddenly they sounded delicious," she said with a little shrug before she scrunched her nose. "I don't even like pickles."

"And yet you ate the whole jar," he laughed. Still, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead fondly. 

"Your son ate them," she mumbled, but there was too much love in her voice for the accusation to hold any weight.

She leaned back to look at him, her eyes suddenly widening with worry. "You didn't want one, did you?" 

He only hesitated for a moment before he opened his mouth to say no, but it must have been long enough because Belle was slowly crinkling her brow in apology. He decided to try a new tactic. 

"Actually, I was hoping you might like to go to Granny's for lunch," he offered, unable to help adding, "if you're still hungry, that is."

Her face answered for her. She practically lit up. "That sounds lovely."

She reached up on her toes to give him another kiss, and he brought his hands up to hold her there for a moment, relishing the soft brush of her lips and the warmth that always buzzed just beneath his skin every time she was near. It was even greater now that their son grew between them. He hadn't thought it possible to love her even more, but his feelings had become nearly transcendent once he'd found out they were going to have a baby. She was his everything, always, and now he had another little one on the way to love, too. 

He smiled as he thought about it and felt Belle smile back, sharing in his silent moment of joy as their mouths parted. 

"I love you, my Belle," he whispered as he gazed at her, wondering how it was possible for a heart so black to hold so much love. 

She was still smiling when she leaned up and gave him a small kiss and said, "I love you too, Rumple."

She stepped out of his arms with a giggle and hopped towards the door. "Now come on, I'm hungry."

He chuckled as he trailed her to their bedroom, and though they did wind up getting a little distracted, they managed to make it to the diner not long after.

He pushed his way inside first, holding the door open as he fended off a scowl from Granny where she stood just behind the counter. 

"Hello Granny," Belle chirped as she followed him inside, and Rumple rolled his eyes as the woman's face softened into a fond smile. 

He couldn't blame her though. Not really. Even the infamous Dark One turned into a grinning fool whenever Belle was around, he thought with a chuckle. 

He led the way to the corner booth and helped Belle into her seat before taking the one across from her. Her hand slipped into his the moment he sat down and she smiled as she peered around the place, looking so bright and blissfully happy that he couldn't help the way his heart fluttered and his cheeks twitched with a hidden smile. 

He heard a throat clear nearby and looked up to find Granny peering down at them over her glasses, her hands on her hips. She gave him an appraising look before she turned her attention to Belle.

"It's about time we saw you again," she chided, the firmness of her voice belied by her small smile. 

Belle giggled. "Granny, we were just here last week."

"Uh huh," the older woman hummed. "A lot can happen in a week. How am I supposed to make sure the two of you -" she paused to gesture at Belle's stomach, "are eating enough if you hide away in that big house?" 

Belle grinned and looked over at him, squeezing his fingers questioningly. "Well, breakfast tomorrow does sound nice."

He chuckled and gave a small nod, not that she needed his approval. He would gladly follow anywhere Belle led. 

Granny seemed appeased, though, and she pushed her glasses further up her nose before she asked, "Alright, what'll it be?" 

"Two burgers and two iced teas," he ordered easily. 

Granny gave a knowing smirk. "One with extra pickles?"

"Actually," Belle chimed in, "can I get pickles, too?" 

Granny looked like Belle had asked for Ruby's red cloak rather than a simple topping for her hamburger, her eyes wide and her mouth parted with a small gasp. The expression made Belle duck her head slightly, but when she explained that they were for the baby, Granny finally seemed to pull herself out of her stupor. She agreed and left the table shaking her head, muttering something under her breath about how if the baby turned out just like his father she was going to have to stock up on condiments.

Rumplestiltskin felt an immense amount of pride wash through him at the very idea that his son might be anything like him. While he knew he didn't have many redeeming qualities and rather hoped the boy inherited his mother's bravery and cheerful personality, it might be nice to share a few small things in common - even if it was just their taste in food. He looked up to find Belle watching him with a knowing little smile on her face and he felt his cheeks warm. She just squeezed his fingers, their legs brushing beneath the table as he tried not to let his thoughts of the future read all over his face.

It wasn't long before Granny returned to set two matching plates of hamburgers in front of them. Well, matching save for the fact that he had a few extra pickles on his burger while Belle got a whole spear on the side as well as a little plastic cup full of slices to add to hers. She plopped one into her mouth with a grin.

"Thank you, Granny."

Granny patted her on the shoulder and gave him a smug look as she walked away. 

As Belle started squeezing ketchup onto her patty, he glanced between their plates with a small frown, eyeing all the extra pickles she had gotten with a huff. Belle laughed when she noticed, setting her bun down before she leaned forward and kissed him squarely on the mouth, effectively distracting him from everything but her. When she sat back down and he finally managed to direct his dazed eyes back to his plate, he found half of her pickle spear sitting beside his french fries. A grin came over his face and Belle giggled, and as he took a bite of his favorite snack and watched as his wife did the same, he found himself deciding that he was glad his son took after his father in at least one way after all.


End file.
